Fil-Am competing in Miss America Pageant

A Filipino American is representing the sunshine state in the upcoming Miss America 2012 Pageant competition.

Kristina Janolo, a 24-year-old University of Central Florida student from Kissimmee, Florida, won the Miss Florida crown and the right to represent the state in the Miss America competition last July. Janolo is the first Filipino American to win the title of Miss Florida.

She is among the 51 beauties from across the nation including the US Virgin Islands competing in the 2012 Miss America Pageant, which will be broadcast live from Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Jan. 14.

Janolo was born in the US. Her mother is from Manila and her father is from Mindoro.

Janolo hopes to follow in the footsteps of Angela Perez Baraquio, a Hawaii-born Filipina, who won the crown in 2001 and became the first Asian American to win the competition.

Janolo said the winner of the Miss America 2012 pageant has some big shoes to fill taking over for 2011 winner Theresa Scanlan of Nevada. Janolo has chosen environmental protection as her platform.

“Miss America reflects a tradition of hard work, sophistication, and style and must be ready to go in a moments notice,” said Janolo in her video on the Miss America website. “When I put on these high heels, I become the woman ready for the possible journey of Miss America 2012.”

In an interview with the Inquirer, Kristina’s mother, Lorna, asked the public to vote for her daughter as “America’s Choice.”

“Please help Kristina on her road to the crown,” she wrote in an email to the Inquirer. “You can go online at www.missamerica.org/videocontest/ and search for Miss Florida and vote. The young lady with the most votes will be named the People’s Choice and will advance as a Top 15 semi-finalist.”

The last day to vote was January 12. Joseph Pimentel